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Friday, May 10, 2019

I am obsessed with this
sleek rose gold-6 blade shaving system. With summer right around the
corner, I want to make sure my skin is smooth and freshly shaven without worrying about that embarrassing stubble. Who wants that? With this razor from @allgirlshaveclub,
I don’t have to worry! The company is 100% female owned, cruelty-free,
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This is by far my favorite razor and shaving system. It is so cute, stylish, and works like a charm! It actually makes shaving fun!⠀☀️ You can get 10% off with code: TRYUS10⠀If you have any questions at all, let me know.
They have a starter kit that comes with the essentials which is the perfect start to get your shave on:

Friday, March 15, 2019

We have been searching for the perfect sippy cup for Mackenzie to enjoy her water. This girl will drink water ALL day, but has difficulty drinking it when lounging or getting it at the perfect angle. That was until we found the 360 Grip'n’Sip from Nuby! This cup has been a GAME CHANGER, you guys.

It has a No-Spill, 360° silicone straw spout that allows her to drink spill-proof from any angle while also providing a hygienic cover. I was surprised to find out how sturdy this cup is too!

In the past, we have had issues with her dropping cups and them breaking, but this Nuby Grip'n'Sip has held up! I love how sturdy and durable it is, especially when she throws it during a tantrum.(Which happens a little more often than I would like to admit.)

The cup is easy for her to hold and enjoy her water. It's also surprisingly easy to clean, which is a huge Mom Win! We chose the pink for our girl, but they also have grey, blue and teal available! So cute!

You can find yours at your local Walmart. It is, in my opinion, the best cup on the market for the best price!

If you want to stay in the know on Nuby products, new product launches and giveaways you can follow them on:

Monday, March 4, 2019

So you're interested in attending the Ellen DeGeneres Mother's Day show? Or you may already have tickets and want to know what to expect the day of? You have come to the right place! I will be sharing the inside scoop, tips, the entire process and what to expect the day of. I hope it will help you too! There are a lot more steps to complete to attend the Mother's Day show, than attending a normal Ellen Degeneres Show taping so be prepared and check your e-mails often because you will be sending back a lot of questionnaires.

How To Attend a Taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Usually,
a few weeks up to a month in a half in advance, you will want to try to
request tickets for the show. You can do so by visiting Ellen's website here. About a month before Mother's Day (which is May in case your pregnancy brain is kicking in) you will want to request tickets, because the Mother's day show is a specialty show, they do have some requirements that are different than attending any other taping, and they will ask you for a story. If you have an address you can use that is local to the studios, in California (such as a family member), I suggest you use that address when you sign up. Also,

Make sure to include a story on how you and your husband (or significant other) met, how long you've been together, when you found out you were expecting, your due date, your reactions and any and all details you can. The more details, the better. Let them know how excited you and your significant other is.

If your husband is in the military, you will have an increased chance of getting on the show as Ellen loves the military. They will call you and ask you questions about your significant others military status. They will double check to make sure you are not fibbing!

I had to include a few photos on the initial ticket request, so I used this photo: (Not the best lighting, but we were dressed up so I wanted to include it. )

They will ask for your social media accounts (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook), so make sure to post photos throughout your pregnancy. This will help your chances of getting picked, because they want to make sure you are a REAL first time expectant mother. Also, make sure to make those accounts public so they can view them easily. **Another tip I have is, send in your request on a weekday at night. I know this may sound strange, but my friend had signed up in the morning/afternoon while I signed up around 10pm and I received an email back within 3 days. (My email came in at 7:45 PM.) So this means whatever staff they have going through submissions is working mostly at night.

The Process

I sent my submission on Tuesday April 4, 2017 around 10PM, and received an email back from the Ellen Audience Special on Friday, April 7, 2017 at 7:50 PM. Here is the email I received:

To confirm my attendance, I had to send back a few answers to the questions sent. Within a few days I received an additional email confirming my guaranteed ticket! This is the email response I received:May 10, 2017 3:57 PM

Hello,

Great! You are confirmed with 1 Guaranteed ticket for Ellen's Mothers Day Special. The show will be on Wednesday, May 10th.

The show is at 3:30pm, and you will need to arrive no later than 1:30pm.

In addition, we are asking for all audience members to provide a photo copy of their most recent sonogram at check in.

We will send a packet of information to you with all the details. You should receive it via email 1 week prior to your show.

I will also send you a survey via email by the end of this week. Please fill it out and send it back to me ASAP.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions in the meantime. Thank you and we look forward to your attendance! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I had to submit a little survey via email by April 13th and had to include a current photo of myself. This is the survey I received:

It wasn't until May 3rd (at 10:02 PM -- see I told you they work at night) that I received my guaranteed ticket and parking information:

Hello!

You are confirmed with 1 guaranteed ticket for Ellen's Mother’s Day Show on 5/10/17.All of the information you will need to
come see the show is attached as a word document titled, "Ellen Tickets
­-MDS- Guaranteed 2017.pdf”. Make sure you read this document in detail
and print it out to bring to the show as
your ticket. If you have any cancellations or questions please feel
free to respond to this email.

PLEASE NOTE

We don’t want to get your hopes up, but occasionally our Mother’s Day Show prizes are huge!

So, we recommend bringing the biggest car you have available, got an SUV? Bring it!

Got a friend with a school bus? That’ll do!

**Please note, you must supply a photocopy of your most recent sonogram at check in on the day of the show.**

We recommend bringing the biggest car you have available. Please do
not car pool. Also, please have your car completely cleared out and the
seats put down in preparation prior to your arrival

You must supply a photocopy of your most recent sonogram at check in tomorrow

PLEASE BRING A PEN WITH YOU

Lastly, don’t forget your dancing shoes!!

The Day of Experience

Because my friend was selected to go to the show as well, we both met at my aunts house who just happens to live down the street from Warner Brother studios. (Convenient, right?)

I had my friend meet me around 11am so we could grab lunch before as I knew it would be a long day. Plus, pregnant ladies need to eat! We knew we had to check-in by 1:30, so we wanted to make sure we had enough time to wait in line.We parked, double checked where we needed to meet, and walked to a cute little Italian restaurant called Ciao Cristina. (Which I totally recommend, it was delicious! And they have great lunch specials-- PLUS it's walking distance.) They did have a food cart this day to make food purchases, since you have to wait a few hours before heading into the studios. If you don't want to dine out, you can always bring some snacks too!

After
lunch we got in line and checked in. The process took a little bit and there was a lot of waiting around, but luckily they do have benches to sit down at. We
got picked to be interviewed, but didn't get chosen, I'm still not sure
what it was for because they never did anything with the girls who got
picked, but it seems they were looking for something specific. We waited for them to call our numbers so we could cross the street into
the studio.

Once we were across the street, it was a pretty quick process. We went through a security line and they took us through the Ellen shop. Because this was a specialty taping, they had food set out for all the Mother-to-be's. I unfortunately did not snap a photo of the food. Sorry ya'll!

Once
we got into the theater they had some ladies pick where we would sit. (Middle, 7th row back!)
I have no idea how they decide the seating arrangements, but I am assuming they choose the really pregnant ladies to sit in the front. They also make sure that your outfit won't clash with the people sitting next to you. Keep that in mind when choosing and outfit! My friend and I asked if we could sit next to each other, and they let us. Once everyone got in their seats, they got all the ladies amped up for the show. They did some pregnancy dancing with the
ladies (Which was hilarious), and had a few dance contests. It was really fun!

Once the show began, Ellen started off with some gifts, and
moved on to introduce the pickle guy, a sexy "Dr." with a delivery room,
and an actual EMT in case anyone went into labor (There were TWO girls who were due within days of the show!)
The guests of the show I attended were Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn. They were SO
funny together! If you missed the episode, they have clips of the prizes on Youtube. (I literally watched EVERY Mother's Day episode Ellen has had).

I also have clips of the show I attended on my Pinterest page. We were so lucky to receive so many wonderful gifts from our attendance at the Ellen's Mother's Day show. Here is what we were given:

3-Day, 2-Night Stay at the Miramonte Indian Wells Resort and Spa in Palm Springs

$600 Essentia LaLa Crib Mattress

Kate Spade Baby Bag

Most of the gifts were given the day of. After the show ended, they handed us all packets with information. We did have to fill out a tax form, but were told they do not report it. You do not have to "claim" it on your taxes either. They let us know that it's our choice whether or not we wanted to report it. Once they explained everything to us and gave us most of our gifts, we had to cross the street back to our vehicles to receive a few of our larger prizes. (Such as the stroller, car seat, high chair, Amazon Echo, and Diaper bag.)

The process was pretty easy, basically they gave us a sheet of paper to hand to the workers while exiting the parking structure, and they had a crew of people put them in our truck. We were able to stay in the car the entire time. The only problem with exiting the structure was that everyone was leaving at the same time, so there was a huge line of cars waiting to receive their gifts. Luckily, we were able to get out pretty quick and didn't have to wait too long. (Helpful tip is to exit in the other direction. They will have two-three areas where you pickup your gifts.)

We did have to order the Crib and Crib Mattress as well as make our own arrangements for the 3-Day, 2-Night Stay vacation. The process to order the additional gifts was very easy. You either send an e-mail out or call a number.

We probably didn't get out of the parking structure till closer to 6pm. Of course I was starving and we were near my favorite restaurant- The Smokehouse. (Which I totally recommend if you go to the show, this is a must have for me whenever I am in the area. The cheese bread is to die for! And everything on the menu is delicious)

What To Wear

The attire is dress casual. You will want to look cute, because you may be seen on TV! Most of the women wore dresses, light coverups, and sandals or wedges.

Some TIPS for the Day Of

Bring a light sweater, it does get chilly inside and it's better to have one just in case.

Pack
some snacks in case you get hungry-- this is the one show a year that
you are allowed to eat in your seats! (IE: Apples, grapes, crackers)

Bring water (You are pregnant, and you will need to stay hydrated!)

Bring a pen (To fill out forms in the beginning and sign forms at the end-- It's just easier than waiting to borrow someone else's after they fill out their forms.

You will be able to leave your seat to use the restroom, so don't worry about bathroom breaks! They also have restrooms in the waiting area at check-in as well as before the show.

Wear comfortable shoes. You won't be walking far, but you want to be comfortable as it is a long day. Expect to be there from 12PM-6PM.

Hopefully this super long list helps you out if you are trying to go to the show, or if you were selected, I hope all the details help you! If you have any other questions please feel free to ask in the comments section. ALSO, If you have attended the Mothers Day Show Before, tell me about your experience in the comments!

Thursday, February 7, 2019

It's tough watching your little one in pain while your little one is teething. As a parent, you want to do everything you can to ease your sweet child and keeping them as comfortable as you can. After going through the teething phase, I feel like I got a pretty good grasp on it now. So I wanted to share a list of what I found to be the BEST solutions to ease your little one while they are going through teething.

Signs your little one is teething:

Excessive drooling

Irritability or extra cranky/fussy

Chewing on objects more so than usual

Sore or tender gums

Diaper rash

Low grade fever

Teething Solutions:

1. Cooling.

I like to wet a few washcloths and stick them in the freezer. That way when my sweetie pie is going through a teething phase, I can pull it out and let her knaw on it. The cooling feels great on their gums and I notice she tends to calm down once she has a cold washcloth to chew on.

Another tip is to keep some teething rings in the fridge. These are great for your little one so gnaw on because the cold helps soothe while they apply pressure to their gums on their own. I love these ones.

Popsicle's. I like to make my own fruit popsicles for a nice snack as well as a great teething solution. She loves to suck the juices off and it keeps her feeling content while enjoying a nice and healthy snack.

Chilled Cucumbers. I notice my little one loves anything cold, so a cold cucumber was the first thing I thought of once she started teething. I've tried them cut in circles as well as in sticks. I try to cut off the peel as that is harder for them to bite into. Just keep a close watch so they don't choke on any broken pieces.

Watermelon. I like to cut up some watermelon and let my girl go to town. She loves the taste and the coolness soothes her. It is a little more messy and sticky, but hey, as a mom-you do whatcha gotta do, right?

2. Camilia. I swear by this product. I just give her one of the packets, and she instantly calms down within a minute. She now knows when I pull the packet out and will open her mouth for me. I don't even have to force it. I guess it tastes good. That or she just knows it helps her.

When she's really miserable, I will give her one before bed and it helps her sleep better. They sell it at Mother's and some baby stores, but they also sell it on Amazon and I've noticed it to be a few dollars cheaper on Amazon. So I tend to stock up so I don't run out. These have been a life saver.

3. Baby Tooth brush. My little girl LOVES her toothbrush. So I try to keep it available for her in arms reach that way she can grab it whenever she wants it. It also helps clean her teeth while providing her some relief on her painful gums. I love these ones because they have a little stopper so it prevents them from shoving it down their throat. I also love the baby banana. It's easy for her to hold onto and has a few different parts for her to chew on.

She also loves her Matchstick monkey teether. It's soft and gentle on her gums and dishwasher safe. It's easy for her to grip and I can clip on a ring to attach to her stroller. It is a little more on the pricey side, but it's one of her favorites! So it was a great buy for us!

4. WINK Teething Gel. I know I've mentioned this stuff before, but it's because it's SO great! I mean what's not to love about an all natural product that's perfect for all ages? You can even use this stuff on your kids with braces to soothe their sore mouth. It has a cool mint feel so it instantly soothes once it's rubbed on the gums. It also tastes pretty darn good too. It's $11.97 on Amazon, or you can get it on WINKs website, 2 pack for $17.99.

Also, helpful tip: You can get 15% off your order on WINKs website if you subscribe. (Cancel anytime!) So that 2 pack that was $17.99 will be around $15 and you get FREE shipping. If you don't want the 2 teething gels, find a friend and split the order with them!

5. Nuby Nibbler Mesh Feeders. I LOVE these. I like to put ice cubes in the mesh for car rides. It tends to keep her satisfied and feels great on her gums. She loves them! You can also add fruit in them and it helps prevent them from choking.

Teething is one of those exciting yet frustrating milestones that every
baby and parent relationship go through. I hope these solutions help you and your baby have happier pain-free days. All of the above are my truthful and honest reviews. We've tried each and every one of these methods and they all work great for us.

Have you tried any of
these teething solution? Which one is your favorite? Please tell me below if there
are any other solutions that you know of. I'd love to hear!

Monday, January 7, 2019

Weekends just fly by when you're having fun, don't they? This weekend we took Saturday to clean up around the house, de-clutter and organize. (Fun, right?) But then, we decided Sunday was going to be OUR day. We took Kenzie and my parents to Disneyland California Adventure. Which was Kenzie's 4th time at Disneyland, but First time at CA Adventure. We started off the day at Starbucks and got kenzie what's called a Babyccino(Which is simply extra-foamy milk—like a cappuccino, but without the espresso.) She loved it!

Once we got to Disney CA Adventure I made sure to book our first Fastpass right away. (Which you can now do from the Disneyland app!)We took her on Monsters Inc., Ariel, and Toy story, and then my husband, dad and I went on Soaring, the Incredicoaster, and Guardians of the Galaxy! It is SO fun to see the magic
of Disney through her eyes. My husband and I used to have annual passes
years before we had Kenzie, but it's a whole different experience with
her!

Also if you've never tried the Michelada, you need to. It has beer, tomato juice, hot sauce, fresh lime juice and Tajín.

It was a fun-filled day that ended with dinner at my favorite Downtown Disney restaurant, Naples. If you've never been, you definitely need to make a reservation for lunch or dinner there. It's located in Downtown Disney, so even if you don't go into Disneyland, you can still dine here. It is a little more pricey side- Plan to spend about $25-30 per person. They offer amazing pizzas, pasta, salad, chicken, salmon, and other fun dishes. I recommend the pizza and lasagna. Very good.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Located at the Disneyland Hotel is a fun dining experience for all ages-- Goofy's Kitchen. It's bright, colorful and fun, but can also be very loud. Goofy's Kitchen is geared towards children, but is also great for adults too. This is one of the best dining options if you want to see a lot of characters and get up close and personal with them. You will see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and more! It's a fun experience for the whole family.Because this is one of the favorite must-go-to dining places to go to, reservations are recommended. You can actually book up to 60 days before your desired date. (And they book up fast!- So make sure to make your reservations.) You can call (714) 781-DINE or book online here.Once you arrive, you will get to take a photo with Goofy! (You can purchase the photo if you like it, too!) Then, your host will take you to your table where you will be greeted by your server who will take your beverage order.

The Food

The food is geared towards children ranging from Mickey Mouse shaped waffles, pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, yogurt to chicken nuggets to Goofy's Famous Peanut Butter Pizza.You can view the full breakfast selection here. I was so amazed at HOW MANY options they had food-wise. I mean you can get breakfast stuff, pastas, and desserts galore! They even have a salad bar. Every 15-30 minutes, they have a parade of characters singing, dancing, and waving towels in the air!It's a fun environment for kids, but is equally as fun for the adults!

The Atmosphere

The atmosphere here is fun! It's not too loud, but it certainly isn't quiet. Between the kids and characters it is very upbeat, but not overly crowded! The characters will come up to you, so there's no need to chase after them. There's fun for everyone!

Price$35 (Adults), $23 (Age 3 to 9) as of 10/5/18You pay before you get seated, and gratuity is added on. Breakfast HoursMonday-Friday 7AM-12PM (Dinner is from 5-9PM)Saturday-Sunday 7AM-1:30PM (Dinner is from 4-9PM)LocationGoofy's Kitchen is located on the property of the Original Disneyland Hotel. There are plenty of photo opportunities on the way to the restaurant so be sure to bring your camera! (Such as the character bushes, cars, and Goofy's Kitchen sign)

Some Things To Know

* You can book your reservation online, just remember that
reservations do require a Credit Card to Reserve. Your card will only be
charged $10 if you do not show up. (As of 10-5-18).

* If you are celebrating a Birthday, you will get a special Birthday pin! (and birthday dessert!) * The attire is casual. No need to get fancy here!

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask!

Also, if you are a Disney fanatic and looking for a great gift this Holiday season, then you should check out the WALT LIFE subscription box or the Mickey Monthly! So fun for the Disney lover!

Have you ever dined at Goofy's Kitchen or any other Character Dining Restaurants? I would love to hear your thoughts!